Gallery4Culture presents work by 23 regional artists that are represented through their on-line registry for Artist Make Building Parts TM. The show entitled “Art Parts: Artist Made Building Parts TM Registry Artists” includes the work of Yuki Nakamura & Craig Miller and Erin Shie Palmer. Opening reception on Nov. 2 from 6 – 8 p.m. On view through Dec. 1. 101 Prefontaine PL. S. (206) 296-7580.

“Stripes” is the title of a new show of functional glass by Boyd Sugiki through Oct. 31 at Vetri International Glass. 1404 First Ave. (206) 667-9608.

“Dim Sum at the On-On Tea Room – The Jewelry of Ron Ho” is a long overdue retrospective of the work of this creative jewelry artist and local Northwest treasure who has crafted personal stories out of carefully gathered antiques and folk art pieces. Each piece tells a story that resonates with history – that of the object itself and that of its creator. A walking tour of the show takes place on Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. Nov. 5 has a jewelry workshop at noon. Call (425) 579-0770 for pre-registration. On view at the Bellevue Art Museum through Feb. 18, 510 Bellevue Way N.E., (425) 519-0770, www.bellevuearts.org.

Puget Sound Sumi Artists present “Enduring Voices of Sumi Art,” a group show through Dec. 30. Opening reception is Oct. 28 from noon to 3 p.m. Karpeles Manuscript Museum at 407 South “G” St. in Tacoma. (253) 383-2575.

Nha Vuu in her show, “Twilight,” captures the moment when clarity is imperfect and the imagination is stimulated by intuition. On view through Oct. 22 at Fenomena Gallery at 200 Roy St. #104, (206) 213-0080. www.NhaVuu.com
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The work of Kazue Taguchi is included in the group show entitled, “Pilchuk Glass School: 16th Year of Emerging Artists in Residence” in the east wing of the Friesen Gallery. Through Oct. 31. 1200 Second Ave. S. (206) 628-9501.

Oregon-based artist Harold Hoy is in a two-person show, “All Too Human” at Gallery IMA through Nov. 1. 123 South Jackson. (206) 625-0055.

“Bite Size” is the title of a new show by Junichi Tsuneoka at Hipposchemes through Oct. 31. 1510 – 12th Ave. (206) 234-2342.

Saya Moriyasu creates tiny universes within the branches of her wooden chandeliers in a show of new work influenced by Japanese woodblock prints called “The Floating World.” Gallery4Culture in October – 101 Prefontaine Pl. S., (206) 296-8674.

“A Circular Route,” sculptural paintings that explore pattern within a cultural and personal context by June Sekiguchi at Vidya Gallery. On view through Oct. 31, 619 Western, second floor, (206) 624-7966.

“Breath-Memory” is the title of a show by Etsuko Ichikawa in the SOIL Backspace through Oct. 28. The artist captures the moment by blowing and capturing her own breath on molten glass, 112 Third Ave. S., (206) 624-8061.

Women Beyond Borders is an international arts organization that promotes the cross-cultural education of women’s and girl’s issues through traveling exhibitions. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of this important organization, artists will honor extraordinary women by collaborating with them through the creation of an art box. Local artist June Sekiguchi will work in collaboration with noted political activist Yuri Kochiyama who was active in the African American and human rights movements and a close friend of Malcolm X. The group show will open with a reception on Oct. 25 from 6 – 9 p.m. at the World Trade Center at 2800 Alaskan Way, #410. elaine@tajimacreative.com.

911 Media Arts Center present Yuki Nakamura and Robert Campbell’s “Floating Plaster/City Motion,” a work that integrates formal aesthetics with architectonic video projections of animated imagery. Through Oct. 27, 402 Ninth N., (206) 682-6552.

Carolyn Staley Fine Japanese Prints is showing “Katagami – Japanese Paper Stencils from the John Huston Collection” in October. The Web site features illustrations from “The Tale of Genji” all fall – 2001 Western Ave., #320, (206) 621-1888, www.carolynstaleyprints.com.

Kensuke Yamada is a young Japanese ceramic sculptor. His work exudes a whimsical charm bordering on the surreal that grows on you. “Dwell” is the new show he shares with painter Colleen Haywood at the Catherine Person Gallery. An informal gallery talk by the artists takes place Oct. 21 at noon. On view through Nov. 11, 319 Third Ave. S., (206) 763-5565, www.catherinepersongallery.com.

The work of Gerard Tsutakawa is included in the West Edge Sculpture Invitational on view through Oct. 29 in Benaroya Hall and the Harbor Steps on University Ave. between Western & Third downtown, www.westedgesculpture.com.

“These Walls Can Speak: Untold Stories from Three Historic Buildings” is on view through Dec. 10. In conjunction with this show, historic walking tours of the Chinatown/International District are being offered on Oct. 28 at 1 p.m., Nov. 2 at 3:30 p.m. and Nov. 5 at 1 p.m. To register, call (206) 624-5124×114 or e-mail events@wingluke.org. “Voyage of the Barangay – Filipino Currents in King County” is a new show on display through Dec. 10. The show highlights the presence of Filipinos in King County and the contributions of Filipino culture to the region. Produced by the Filipino National Historical Society (FAHNS). Wing Luke Asian Museum, 407 Seventh Ave. S., (206) 623-5124.

KOBO at Higo. An opening night reception for artist Toni Yuly takes place on Oct. 28 from 6 – 8pm. Yuly will show watercolor/egg tempura paintings of everyday objects in nature. Ceramic artist Hiro Yoshihara shows his new work through Nov. 11. 604 S. Jackson, (206) 381-3000.

The Burke Museum presents a pair of connected shows together. “Vanished Kingdoms: The Wulsin Photos of China, Tibet, & Mongolia, 1921 – 25” present rare images of that part of Asia along with “Sacred Portraits – Eleven Tibetan Thangkas” (large painted portraits on cloth from the Museum’s own collection). Both shows open on Nov. 4. The Museum is located on the UW campus at N.E. 45th & 17th N.E., (206) 543-5590.

Toshiko Hasegawa shows “Fruits And Flowers”, a series of paintings in oil as well as her whimsical ceramics. Through Nov. 5. Parkland Gallery at 130 Park Lane in Kirkland. (425) 827-0606.

Performing Arts
Huun Huur Tu, the amazing Mongolian throat singers/musicians from Tuva perform Nov. 2 at the Northshore Performing Arts Center in Bothell. Tickets online at www.ticketswest.com or charge-by-phone at (800) 992-TDOX. For information, call (425) 489-6018.

SIS Productions returns with the NW premiere of Michael Golanco’s “Cowboy Versus Samurai.” It’s a romantic comedy that explores the sexual dynamics that surface around race when an attractive Korean American woman moves to town. Oct. 20 – Nov. 8 at Hugo House at 1634 11th Ave., (206) 325-6500.

The Porkfilled Players perform their unique brand of Asian American sketch comedy in a new program entitled “Go East, Young Ham” which probes the eternal battle of East vs. West – the Geisha vs. the saloon girl: Oct. 27 – Nov. 17 at the Hugo House. Free tickets available for the Oct. 28 performance by logging on to www.seattleperforms.com. Hugo House is at 1634 – 11th Ave. (206) 325-6500 for reservations.

The International Examiner presents their annual showcase of Asian American talent with “Arts Etc. 2006” on Nov. 4 from 7 – 10 p.m. Features the Buttersprites Seattle’s all-girl Japanese pop band, Le Soleil Fashion Show with Tuan Nguyen, NW magician Don Darryl Rivera and visual artists Diem Chau, Michael Curato, Joby Shimomura and Nha Vhu. Port of Seattle Atrium at Pier 69 at 2711 Alaskan Way. www.myspace.com/asian_arts or www.brownbagtickets.com/event/7108. (206) 624-3925.

JSA presents “Matsuri – Japanese Festival 2006” with live performances, Japanese food and games. Free. Nov. 5 from noon – 4 p.m. The HUB East Ballroom on the UW campus.

Tacoma Buddhist Church presents their Fall Food & Crafts Bazaar on Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. 1717 S. Fawcett Ave. (253) 627-1417.

“Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls” takes place in a pet store in New York, the beaches of Hawai’i and Xmas in Alaska and is Naomi Iizuka’s latest play to surface in Seattle. Plays Nov. 7, 8, 9 and 11 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. Cornish College of the Arts’ Raisbeck Performance Hall, 2015 Boren Ave., (206) 726-5011 or log on to www.cornish.edu.

Diversified International Cultural Entertainment (DICE) presents a concert entitled “Voice & Strings II” featuring some of the Puget Sound’s premiere Filipino American artists. Singer Stephanie Reese, guitarist Angelo Pizzaro and jazz pianist Victor Noriega join forces to perform Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. at Benaroya Hall downtown, (206) 850-2010 for information. For tickets, call (206) 292-arts. www.ticketmaster.com.

Jazz pianist Keiko Matsui performs at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley Nov. 2 – 5. 2033 – 6th Ave. (206) 441-9729.

SouthEast Effective Development: Arts Gumbo 2006. Experience the music, food and crafts of the Hmong culture in November on Friday, Nov. 3 with a Hmong celebration, including a vocalist performance by Laotian artist Paj Zaub Lauj. The series is held at the Rainier Valley Cultural Center (3515 S. Alaska St.), in Columbia City. 7 p.m. vocalist; 8 p.m. Hmong Cuisine, 9 p.m. Workshop: Hmong Money Bags. Tickets will be available at the door: $8 Adults, $5 Children & Seniors. For event information, please call SEED Arts & Event line at (206) 760-4285, or visit www.seedseattle.org/arts/rvcc/index.htm.

Ragamala presents a veena recital by Sreevidya Chandramouli on Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. St. John United Church. 5515 N. Phinney Ave. Log on to www.Ragamala.org for details.

The Seattle Chinese Garden Society will host the Soaring Dragon Celebration and Auction on Nov. 5 from 4 – 8 p.m. at Bell Harbor International Conference Center. Features a “Sichuanese Marketplace” filled with goods and entertainers followed by a dinner and auction. Proceeds benefit the Seattle Chinese Garden. Seattle Pier 66 at 2211 Alaskan Way. (206) 282-8040.

Written Arts
Elliot Bay Book Company has the following readings in their on-going series: Meg Tilly, best known for her roles in films such as “The Big Chill” and “Agnes of God” comes to Seattle to read from her latest novel, “Gemma”(Syren Book Co.) on Oct. 21 at Elliott Bay Book Co. in Seattle and Oct. 22 at Village Books in Bellingham (see related article). Tilly is Chinese Canadian and her new book looks at the case of a young girl who becomes the obsession of an older man. Michael Zielenziger will read from “Shutting Out The Sun: How Japan Treated Its Own Lost Generation” on Oct. 23. This particular reading is at Town Hall on Seattle’s First Hill at 6:30 p.m. The book examines the rash of suicides by today’s youth in Japan and its causes. Nell Freundenberger reads from her first novel, “The Dissident” (Ecco) in which the protagonist is a young Chinese artist teaching in a California girl’s school on Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. All other readings at Elliott Bay Book Co. in Pioneer Square, 101 S. Main, (206) 624-6600.

The University Book Store presents the following. Katherine Min reads from “Secondhand World” (Knopf), a coming-of-age novel of a daughter who struggles to negotiate between her parents’ Korean past and her American present Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. – 4326 University Way N.E. Most readings are held on the second floor, (206) 643-3400.

Lawney L. Reyes, the recent author of his own autobiography on UW Press will read from his latest book, “Bernie Whitebear: An Urban Indian’s Quest for Justice.” This book is a biography of his own brother and famed local NW Indian leader, an early advocate of native rights. Nov. 9 at 6:30 p.m. in the Burke Room of the Burke Museum on the UW campus, N.E. 45th & 17th Ave. N.E., (206) 543-5590 or www.burkemuseum.org.

Lee & Low books’ presents their 7th Annual New Voices Award for a children’s picture book story by a writer of color. Manuscripts will be accepted through Oct. 31. For guidelines, visit www.leeandlow.com/editorial/voices.html.

The festival’s music frenzy is headlined by jazz superstar Wynton Marsalis, and the rest of the festival features a lineup of legends, upstarts, innovators, and international hybrids.

This year’s Asian and Asian American artists include the highly anticipated Northwest debut of French-Vietnamese guitarist Nguyên Lê with his Tiger’s Tail group, the return of Japan’s East/West Double Trio, a rare Seattle appearance by Japanese American pianist and composer Toshiko Akiyoshi, and the Pinay stylings of hometown pianist Victor Noriega.

Although Nguyên Lê has been touring extensively throughout Europe and Asia for the past 20 years, his performance at the festival is a stop in his first U.S. tour. He brings his Tiger’s Tail Quartet featuring Americans Art Lande (piano), Paul McCandless (reeds) and Frenchman Patrice Héral (percussion). Using influences from around the globe, Lê’s music is transcultural but not “World Music.” His virtuosic ability to blend contemporary jazz and traditional music in recordings such as “Purple: Celebrating Jimi Hendrix, Tales From Vietnam,” and “Walking on the Tiger’s Tail,” have started a buzz on this side of the pond. In particular, his “Vietnam” album, recorded in Vietnam with Vietnamese musicians and vocalists, shows an authenticity of traditional Southeast Asian music that belies the fact that Lê was born and raised in France.

Lê makes ample use of Vietnamese tonality on guitar, creating a singular voice that rivals other contemporary jazz guitarists like Pat Matheny, John Scofield and Bill Frisell. That unique voice is what cuts through and stays consistent on his recordings, which can range from electro-acoustic walls of sound to funky smooth jazz and haunting traditional ballads. This show at On the Boards is not to be missed.

Another not-to-miss program features solo piano by the legendary Toshiko Akiyoshi, 2006 recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts’ Jazz Masters Award. Born in Manchuria, Akiyoshi was discovered by the great Oscar Peterson in Japan in 1952, and she came to the United States in 1956 to study at the Berklee College of Music. Since then, she has been shattering glass ceilings and stereotypes.

As one of the first women in jazz to direct and compose for her own band — the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra — Akiyoshi has accumulated dozens of musical honors including being the first woman in jazz history to be awarded the Best Arranger and Best Big Jazz Band by Down Beat Reader’s Poll, which she received for four consecutive years (1978-1981).

Inspired by Duke Ellington’s exploration of his African heritage in his big band composition, Akiyoshi has incorporated traditional Japanese textures and motifs into her own multilayered style. With decades of leading, composing and performing with a group, her solo appearance at the Seattle Asian Art Museum will display her mastery of the piano.

Seattle’s Victor Noriega released a new CD this year entitled “Alay” which means “gift” or “offering” in Tagalog. “Alay” pays homage to the 1950s and ‘60s popular music from the Philippines he heard growing up. The album also has a serenade written by a great-uncle, a popular Filipino composer and conductor in the 1930s. Noriega, who received Earshot Jazz’s 2005 Best Emerging Artist Award, will be performing with his Quintet, featuring Willie Blair (bass), Eric Eagle (drums), Mark Taylor (sax) and Jay Thomas (trumpet).

The trans-Pacific union of Seattleite and multi-instrumentalist Jay Thomas and Japan’s East/West Double Trio brings speedy, swingin’ jazz to Tula’s for a two-night stand.

Experimentalist avant-garde trombonist, composer and master improviser Stuart Dempster celebrates his 70th birthday with a gaggle of friends including musician and instrument-builder Susie Kozawa. Other guests include Trimpin, Pauline Oliveros, David Mahler, the Degenerate Art Ensemble and many more. Drop in on the daytime, building-wide performance at Town Hall.

Tickets to Earshot Jazz Festival events can be purchased via the Web site at www.earshot.org, by telephone at the festival hotline at (206) 547-9787, or at the Earshot office in Fremont at 3429 Fremont Place N, #309, Seattle. Visit the Web site for a complete schedule and artist information.

Van Diep manages artist residency programs at Jack Straw Productions, a nonprofit audio arts center and recording studio whose mission is to foster the communication of art, ideas, and information to diverse audiences through audio media. Applications for artist programs are now available at www.jackstraw.org.

Have you always been interested in fashion?
• I have been interested in fashion since I was nine. I was surrounded by my creative family, who are all artists. My father, Van Khanh, was a well known photographer. My sister and mentor Thien Nga is a great tailor and owned a boutique. She is very fashionable and a smart business woman. Being in that environment inspired me to create my collection.

Do you have specific fashion designers that inspire you?
• I have a lot of respect for Tom Ford. He is the most influential designer of the last decade. Tom Ford has brought the glamour back into fashion. He understands the woman’s body. I admire his risk-taking and his drive.

Are you a fan of Project Runway?
• In my opinion, the high note of Project Runway is that it has let the viewers get the little taste of how the fashion world works. The show has inspired many fashion students. There’s been a major boom in fashion education since the show started. The low note for Project Runway is like any other reality TV. There is trash-talking and drama. To me, that’s not the way to become a great designer. I believe that, as a true artist, you don’t have to be on reality TV and play some character to get some recognition or fame.

Do you think Season 2 winner Chloe Dao (who is Vietnamese) will help other Vietnamese and Asians become successful in the fashion world?
• I was in Asia working my collection when Chloe Dao won Season 2. I was very happy for Chloe because they chose her for her talent and skills, not because of her race. In this fashion world, we are very multi-cultured and open-minded. We have many talented Asian designers who have made their big marks such as Vera Wang, Derek Lam, Doo Ri, Vivienne Tam, Thakoon, just to name a few. To be successful in the fashion world, this is what it takes — creativity, business sense, drive, ambition, hard work, dedication and a bit of luck. You can achieve your dreams, regardless of where you come from. Always dream big and believe in yourself.

What’s been the hardest part about starting your own line?
• I have started out a line called Le Soleil. The hardest part about this ambitious project is making sure the end product is what I had envisioned. There is a lot more to creating a line than sketching and designing. I take on many roles, spend significant time on paperwork, managing people, shipping, spending times in factories, mailing catalogs (look books), negotiating with people that don’t speak your language. From finding the inspiration and finest fabrics, creating the pieces, and to the runway, I had to oversee every step. I styled and photographed all the pictures for the Le Soleil catalog and ad campaign. Seeing the fruit of my labor, though, is truly satisfying.

Does your cultural background influence your designs? If so, how?
• My cultural background plays a big role in Le Soleil when it comes to designs and fabrics. Asia is famous for silk. When creating this line, I bought the fabrics straight from a premium silk chiffon factory that produces silk using only natural colors. Color is another Asian influence. Asia is known for their use of color in everything. For my Spring ‘07 line, I traveled to China, Korea, Thailand and Vietnam to find these inspirations and gave birth to Le Soleil. Le Soleil is about living life — color is a great metaphor for life. I use vibrant colors and delicate fabrics in my line to express this point of view.

Do you have a certain philosophy when it comes to designing clothes?
• My philosophy when it comes to designing clothes is that I would ask myself, my friends and family three questions: 1) Is it marketable? 2) Is it wearable? 3) Is it affordable? If all those questions are “yes,” then I will produce it.

In order to design clothes for women and men, you need to understand their body — what looks good on each individual’s body type, what they need to hide and what needs to be shown. I grew up with one older brother, three older sisters and my mom, who have all been into fashion. So I know what women and men want when it comes to clothes.

What is your long-term goal?
• My long-term goal is to continue to do what I love most and that is fashion – make a household name for myself. I’m here to stay in this business. I will head back to Asia on Nov. 22 to discuss and sign contracts with some of the investors of Le Soleil. Le Soleil will have its first store in the United States and Vietnam and eventually throughout Asia. I will take it one step at a time, slowly and surely.

www.Lesoleil.us; e-mail: Lesoleil@Lesoleil.us

Throughout the past dozen years, Iizuka has seen her plays produced by a variety of local theatre companies, including “Tattoo Girl” by Annex Theatre in 1994, “SKIN” by Printer’s Devil Theatre in 1998, and “Language of Angels” by Theater Schmeater in 2001. Now, Seattle’s Cornish College of the Arts is preparing to produce Iizuka’s “Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls,” a play in which friends and strangers encounter unfamiliar people and lands in the course of their travels.

Born in 1965 in Tokyo, Japan to an American mother of Spanish descent and a Japanese father, Iizuka grew up in the Netherlands, Indonesia and later Maryland. Her multiethnic background and global travel experience manifest themselves in her plays, in which she often utilizes the elements of a “journey” to dramatically structure her narratives. “Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls” combines the structure of a journey, for multiple characters, with what Cornish Theatre Department Chair Richard E.T. White describes as “fundamentally an affirmation of our ability to find connection and a sense of home in a fractured and rapidly transforming world.”

The upcoming Cornish production of Iizuka’s 1999 play hearkens back to a major thread in Iizuka’s writing: an interest in the visual aspects of our world. One of the primary reasons for which “Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls” was selected by Cornish College is, according to White, its challenge for Cornish student designers.

Many Iizuka plays contain a specific visual component that must be addressed by the production designers. Some of her plays, such as “At the Vanishing Point” and “Polaroid Stories” (the latter produced in Seattle in 2003 by SsGoody Productions at the Capitol Hill Arts Center), have foregrounded photography and photographic images as a way of presenting these character studies more vividly. Iizuka says, “There’s something very mysterious and moving to me about photographs – this effort to freeze a moment in time, the distance between what’s captured in a photograph from the past and the present reality.”

Another specific kind of visual reference that Iizuka often incorporates into her plays is the tattoo, seen in “Tattoo Girl,” as well as in “Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls.”

“In some instances, tattoos are a very literal trace of an event or a person you want to remember,” Iizuka says. “But I also think the act of getting a tattoo is in some ways a way of facing up to your own mortality. Their permanence in the face of your own impermanence speaks to me.”

Despite her longstanding interest in the visual and its seeming permanence, Iizuka is also committed to exploring aspects of human experience that are much more difficult to pin down: the inner life and memories of her characters. Iizuka’s interest in photography is linked with her interest in the ephemeral nature of memories.

“I think a lot of my plays do deal with memory, the faultiness of memory, the need we feel to hold on to memories, the way in which memories shape a present,” she says.

Iizuka often uses monologues to pursue these explorations of inner life and memory. “I think monologues allow a window into a characters inner life,” says Iizuka. “It’s as though the everyday splits open and you can see inside or underneath. What’s interesting to me is when what’s going on inside the character is at odds with what they seem to be on the outside or how others see them.”

Monologues, photographs and other visual representations serve as devices that Iizuka uses to structure her work out of the minutiae of everyday feelings and experiences. “We have an impulse to create narratives, to make order of what can be a chaotic existence. I think that effort, that struggle is profoundly moving,” Iizuka says.

“Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls” offers fewer monologues and less structural solidity than many of Iizuka’s plays. She says that “on some level the characters in “Aloha” are careening through their lives at such velocity – particularly in the first act – that I’m not sure there’s as much time for introspection.”

Instead of mere inward soul-searching, Cornish College students who work on this production of “Aloha” will have the opportunity to develop a variety of theatrical skills. The show’s director, Katjana Vadeboncouer, aims to encourage her student-actors “to make a deep commitment to both the whimsical and mythic qualities in this text,” as well as to practice a range of physical performance methods that correspond to “Aloha’s” comedy and its blurring of time and space.

Vadeboncouer adds, “I look to interpret Iizuka’s work though the filter of Absurd Realism as a means to not only make sense of the magic in the play, but also to fully transport the audience out of the realm of the ordinary.” In exploring the script, the actors will also be asked to delve into what Cornish Chair Richard White calls “a deep undercurrent of longing for emotional connection that is an excellent challenge for our young actors.”

Portraying those feelings of longing in “Aloha” will be complicated by the doubling (multiple roles played by a single actor) required by the script. Iizuka is frequently drawn to the use of doubling because, she says, “I’m struck by the degree to which people lead different lives and reveal different selves to different people in their lives.”

She adds, “I also think doubling is one of the most intriguing and inherently theatrical devices. That you have one actor embodying different characters or different sides of a self in this very literal way” is what leads Iizuka to make this choice in much of her work.

Iizuka continues her work on the self, memory and language in multiple current projects. Among these is a play that deals with the aftermath of the genocide in Cambodia, entitled “After A Hundred Years.” Iizuka also states, “I’m also about to start rehearsals for an adaptation of “Hamlet” that I’ve been working on for some time now with spoken word poets from Oakland. It’s a collaboration between California Shakespeare Theater and a theater group called Campo Santo.”

Although Iizuka hopes to visit Seattle for the Cornish production of “Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls,” she reports being busy combining these current playwriting projects with new motherhood. Nonetheless, Iizuka retains great appreciation for her past associations with several Seattle theatres and artists: “I think one of the things that struck me was the vitality of the theater community and the strong sense of being a distinct community.”

“Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls” runs Nov. 7-12 at 8 p.m., at the Raisbeck Performance Hall of the Cornish College of the Arts, 2015 Boren Ave., Seattle. There will be a post-play discussion on Nov. 11.

At the age of 16, Joby joined Kidsboard, a youth leadership group whose purpose was to give advice to adults. She organized kids to defeat a proposed curfew ordinance which was being considered by the city council. She organized a Teen Convention which brought hundreds of teens together to discuss teen violence. She volunteered on the Teen Outline and listened to the problems of other teens – drugs, depression, pregnancy, family problems. She testified at congressional hearings about the need for youth participation in the political process. She was even featured on the “Today Show,” discussing teen issues with then Congressman Joseph Kennedy.

As a young adult, Joby Shimomura immersed herself in politics. She worked for then Mayor Norm Rice. Joby volunteered for, then managed several political campaigns. In 1994, she managed Kip Tokuda’s successful campaign for the state Legislature. In 1995, she managed a successful Seattle Schools Levy campaign, a levy which had failed on three prior occasions. In 1996, she managed Tina Podlodowski’s successful campaign for the Seattle City Council. Her political savvy caught the eye of the state Democratic Party and in 1997, Joby became its political director. In 1998, she was called upon to manage Jay Inslee’s successful run for U.S. representative. She became chief of staff for Inslee, a position she held for seven years. And then in 2005, Joby Shimomura left the political arena. She didn’t have a job, didn’t want a job, and decided to face the uncertainties of her future head on.

Even while working as Inslee’s chief of staff, Joby felt that there was something missing in her life. She wanted an outlet to be creative. Joby’s father is the well known artist Roger Shimomura. The artistic genes have always been a part of Joby. When Joby was eight years old, she decided to have her own solo art show. She had made some drawings, put them in saran wrap for protection, and hammered nails into plywood to hang her drawings, then waited patiently in her backyard for people to come. Nobody came. It then dawned on her that nobody came because nobody knew about her art show. So Joby organized the neighborhood kids and they went door to door in the neighborhood selling her drawings. It’s a vivid reminder of what she faces today as the “struggling artist” she has now become.

After some thought, Joby narrowed her creative choices to photography and stained-glass art. As luck or circumstance would have it, the Covenant Store in Everett was offering a six-week course in stained glass. Joby had held a fascination with stained glass from an early age so she signed up for the class and dutifully attended each class while continuing her responsibilities as Inslee’s chief of staff.

Today, Joby goes to work without the need for a calendar and appointment book. She has her own studio, in Pioneer Square, of course. She spends her time designing glass, cutting glass, and thinking of creative ways to express her liberated creativity. When asked to describe her style, Joby said that she creates “by a sense of feel” – creative instincts are probably best described as intuitive.

Like many struggling artists, Joby’s biggest obstacle now is getting the word out about her work. She organizes Arts Walks to her studio to showcase her work. She has a network of friends, colleagues and family who have loyally supported her work. And given her background in running someone’s political campaign, she’ll be successful in getting the word out about her artwork. As she explained, there’s more to stained-glass art than a few pieces of glass. Give her an hour and she’ll tell you how.

BY NHIEN NGUYEN
Examiner Editor

Every girl dreams about being in a rock band, whether it’s belting your lungs out, banging on drums, sliding your fingers over the keyboard or strumming the electric guitar.

For the five women of Seattle’s Japanese pop band Buttersprites that schoolgirl dream has become a reality. Nominated for Best Pop Rock Band 2006 by the Seattle Weekly, the all-girl band describes their sound as “bright, up-tempo and quirky” that is influenced by the “post punk” music of the early ‘80s.

No one is more surprised by the band’s success than founder-guitarist Elizabeth Jameson. An internationally acclaimed visual artist by day, Jameson says she always wanted to be a musician, but thought it was something only her husband could do.

The idea for forming a band first came to Jameson when she was devising an act for a cabaret style party. She got together with her Japanese girlfriends, none of whom were musicians, and began to jam for this one-time show. After more practice sessions, Jameson realized, “I actually can do this!”

Though the original band members went their separate ways, Jameson had had too much fun to give up the idea of starting a Japanese Girl Band. Trying out different women for the band, Jameson ended up with four other band mates: vocalist Haruko Nishimura, bassist Lunarre Omura, keyboardist Julie Grant and drummer Jen Gay. With Japanese music icons Cibo Matto and Shonen Knife to inspire them, they played their first Seattle gig in 2003.

Like Jameson, each of the recruits had strong artistic backgrounds: Nishimura, a butoh dancer, is also part of the performance group Degenerate Art Ensemble, which is currently on a West Coast tour. Gay is co-owner of Cicada, a custom design bridal shop in Seattle. Omura is also part of another group, Lushy, a “bossa beat flavored alterna-pop” band. And Grant, besides keyboard, plays the accordion.

Rehearsing every Tuesday night for the past three years in the basement of Jameson’s Beacon Hill house, new music for the Buttersprites comes about organically in a casual, artistic environment.

With backgrounds in visual, music and performance arts, the Buttersprites have carved a niche in Seattle’s music scene. Taking advantage of their novelty as an all-girl band, the band has intentionally focused on their visual presence, from a mesmerizing lead singer to custom-designed eye-catching outfits.

We want to give the audience something fun to look at while they are performing on stage, says Jameson.

With a do-it-yourself attitude, hot looks and cool music, the Buttersprites is the total package.

Visit their Web site at: www.buttersprites.com.

She takes the moment away from us and etches it forever in our memory with her warm, full-mouth smile and glittering eyes. Tonight she plans to take us away to a dreamland with her beautiful, enchanting voice.

Known in jazz circles for her “sultry alto voice,” she is celebrating the launch of her debut solo CD, “Searching for the Soul” on Free-ham records.

This is the night of Charmaine Clamor’s first performance at the Triple Door in Seattle. In the dead of the night, a girl coming from the small town of Subic-Zambales in the Philippines takes on the stage. Dressed for the occasion in a shimmery sky-blue gown, glossy heels and with a lean and tall silhoutte, she is very much the star they predicted she would be.

Her voice hits you with a sharpness and brashness that doesn’t match her fragile and soft persona. Her high alto voice reverberates in your ears as her renditions of love songs leave you tender and consumed. You can feel her charming you into her world of beautiful Filipino music, which she clarifies later on, is called Gundiman.

Her heart, it seems, is still in Philippines. Charmaine talks fondly about her life in Subic-Zambales, which is “four hours bus ride” from the capital city of Manila and has a population of not more than 70,000 people.

Her love for music began at the ripe young age of three, when she would ride on the bus with her mother and entertain the passengers with her songs and performance. The Clamor household was always filled with sounds of music. Coming from a musically talented family, she began appreciating jazz and Gundiman music from a very early age. She cultivated her talent by further studying classical piano.

She also loves listening to Aretha Franklin – the queen of soul music, Marvin Gaye, India arie; contemporary artists like Dianne Reeves, Cassandra Wilson and old timers like Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Horn and Betty Carter.

Charmaine herself is gifted with a voice that on command turns from sweet and seductive to strong and gutsy. She is one of the few Filipinos who have managed to break into the world of jazz music. She recently launched “Searching for the Soul” which has peaked at the number one position on the CMJ jazz charts in several markets. She is also the alto voice of the jazz harmony ensemble Crescendo, based in Los Angeles.

But Charmaine insists that her true story is that of struggle, determination and hard work.

She immigrated to the United States with her parents. While studying in graduate school, she continued to hone her singing abilities and taking lessons. She received a master’s degree in physical therapy in 1998. And currently, she is a licensed physical therapist. Passionately pursuing her love for singing, she began edging her way inside the jazz ghetto, singing with the five-member Crescendo.

Charmaine continues to work her way through the various aspects of singing – handling her business, practicing every day and taking vocal lessons, marketing herself better, building more connections in the world of business and taking time out to experiment with various music styles. She finds inspiration in the fact that all the hard work doesn’t go to waste ultimately and is worth the return.

Charmaine remains as grounded as ever, appreciating the sacrifice and struggle her parents went through to help her chase her dream.

She has performed at the House of Blues, The Hop, Pasadena Civic Auditorium, Los Angeles Convention Center, Glendale Civic Auditorium and Cerritos Performing Arts Center, among others. She has worked with numerous well-known mainstream artists, including Jeffery Osborne and James Ingram, and legendary Filipino artists including Gary Valenciano, Banig and Timmy Cruz.

She is also one of the founding members of Jazz-Phil-USA, an LA-based nonprofit organization that promotes Filipino-American jazz artists in the United States.

Charmaine is ambitious about her next album and excitedly tells me more about it. She has long wished to release an album with Gundiman music – Filipino love songs, dressed in a new combination of beats and sounds. She wants to combine Gundiman songs with jazz music and create a sort of harmonious fusion between the two – a quest never undertaken before. But for determined and passionate dreamers like Charmaine, such dreams could well turn into a reality. She dreams them and then weaves them into reality.

LE: Tell me about growing up in the camp. We hear a lot about the “manongs” (first-generation Filipino farm workers who came over in the ‘20s and ‘30s) but most of the stories are about single men, not about families who actually ran their own camps.

PJ: There’s the misconception that the “manong” generation were all single. Many of them were, but a lot of them were married, including women from the Philippines. And my father was fortunately one of them. And there were also a lot of mixed kids. Those of us in the “Bridge Generation” (the children of the farm workers) considered those mixed kids as Filipino. If they hung out with us and said they were Filipino, that’s all that was necessary. We didn’t make the distinction that was prevalent at that time of regionalization, where people identified as Visayan, or Ilocano or whatever. We just simply felt that in our generation, if they were Filipino they were Filipino. And we didn’t go beyond that. We didn’t question whether they had a white mother or a black mother or whatever.

At the same time we were Filipino. Our belief system was Filipino. Our cultural way of life was Filipino. People spoke different dialects, but that didn’t matter. Our identity was Filipino, there was no doubt in our minds about that, and that’s the way we continue to feel.

LE: It was startling to read about your experience meeting white people for the first time. To you it was a strange encounter because most of the people you knew were Filipino, and that you consider English a second language.

PJ: It’s hard today to imagine the situation then, but we were isolated. But the country at that time wasn’t as heavily populated. And so we were not unusual in that sense. I think most ethnic groups hung together, but in our case because were not like the prevalent white folks, there was more of a reason for us to be on our own or to be by ourselves. And so it was true, I had no idea that there was an overwhelming number of white people in this country. Until I went to school, of course, and found out that, indeed, the United States of America was a lot bigger than the farm country that I was familiar with. And so that was a big awakening for me.

LE: You describe your many responsibilities at camp. It seemed like a city almost, like a little town.

PJ: In many ways it was. We had a little store there, a “sari-sari” (variety) store that my mother ran. We were pretty independent in terms of preparing our own food, we slaughtered our own chickens and our own “baboy” (pigs or hogs), grew our own vegetables. But lots of families in those days were doing that same thing. What was unusual was that we had to provide for 80-100 people, most of whom were single men.

LE: Was it then unusual for you to go to school, having come from camp?

PJ: Very unusual. I was the only one in school then who came from that situation.

LE: So you had the acculturation at camp, and a different acculturation in school. In spite of that you did very well. In high school you write that you were class president, then student body vice president.

PJ: That was my naïveté. I believed what they tried to teach us in this country about equality. Discrimination wasn’t something I experienced until high school. It isn’t like that today obviously, but that was an awakening. I think you read in there about one of my teachers saying to me when I signed up for college prep that my kind belongs in agriculture or machine shop.

LE: That must have been devastating.

PJ: Very devastating. You may also remember what I put in the book, especially after the prom, where here I thought I was so popular that I wouldn’t have a problem getting a prom date. I was very wrong. I tried to wash my color. It didn’t come off.

LE: What kept you going despite these kinds of experiences?

PJ: I got pretty good guidance from my mother in particular, who was a teacher in the Philippines, and very much believed in the ideals of this country. And, of course, a number of teachers who were very supportive of me as well. They were not only supportive, but very helpful in trying to show me other aspects. They didn’t necessarily know the hurt I went through but they believed in me as an individual. I went through some bitter things, but that was not necessarily all of my experience. The good experiences I had with my classmates were sustaining.

LE: Tell me about the people in the camps. Did some of them take other jobs, or did they tend to stay as farm workers and migrate?

PJ: Most of them – not because they preferred it that way – died as farm workers. Which meant that if they were fortunate enough to live till they were in their 60s and 70s, they were still farm workers. It was not because they were not educated, and did not have the desire to do something else. It was because the opportunities were not there.

The doors were not entirely very open to us, and we were American citizens. So you can imagine that people who came from the Philippines had even greater problems in trying to make it in mainstream employment. Don’t forget there were no laws there that would protect you against discrimination and things like that. In fact, those laws didn’t protect me for most of my career. They didn’t come into being in this country until the ‘60s. And by the ‘60s, I was already in my 30s-40s, so there were no legal protections for people of color.

I chose to look at those events where I experienced discrimination as learning experiences. Some people go through events and become bitter. I don’t look at it that way, and my wife and I try to raise our children that way. We were very clear with the kids. Understand racism, know how to deal with discrimination. But never, never use it as an excuse. It’s an easy cop-out to say well, I didn’t get that job because I was Filipino. I never really did that.

LE: What would you like new immigrants from the Philippines to learn from your history?

PJ: What I would hope they’ll learn is that what they may be going through in trying to make it in this country – and this is a tough country – there’s nothing easy here even today. The history ought to teach them that they’re really not alone, and haven’t been. What they’re going through is similar in a lot of ways to what other people are going through. That’s what I mean by understanding history.

One thing I like to say at book readings is that, despite the things I’ve gone through, I truly appreciate that only in America could the things that I’ve been able to accomplish happen. I come from peasant stock in the Philippines. I wouldn’t have been able to do this in the Philippines. I know the old country ways, and I know this country.

Newly arrived immigrants – the thing that I hope they would do is they would turn to people like us who’ve gone through some of this. We can help. We can at least tell them, don’t feel alone. These are the ways I’ve handled it. They (immigrants) ought not to put us down because we can’t speak Tagalog. That’s the least thing they ought to be concerned about.

Whether we speak Tagalog or not, the blood that goes through our veins is the same as theirs. We don’t see them as different. They ought not to see us as different.

BY JOYCE YIU
Examiner Contributor

Showcasing the talents of Asian American artists and providing them with the highest level of public exposure is the dream and goal of Tony Zapata, founder of Diversified International Cultural Entertainment (D.I.C.E).

“I love seeing people succeed and having the opportunities to showcase their crafts or talents,” Zapata said.

Established in Seattle earlier this year, D.I.C.E intends to preserve and promote Asian American culture through professional presentation in the arts, music and other forms of entertainments.

“D.I.C.E’s mission is to inspire Asian American artists to cultivate their roots through musical expression, and empowering their audiences with culturally-influenced experiences,” said the founder.

To help celebrate Filipino American Heritage Month, D.I.C.E.’s first show, “Voice Strings II,” is scheduled for Oct. 21 at Benaroya Hall’s Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall.

“We will highlight the top three Filipino American artists in Seattle, and hope to develop a concept of strings and vocalists for the audiences,” Zapata said.

Performers include: jazz pianist Victor Noriega, winner of last year’s Emerging Artist Golden Ear Awards; Stephanie Reese, who played the title role of Kim in Europe’s “Miss Saigon” and was rated as the entertainer of the year at the second Annual Asian Pacific Trade Show of 2005 in Las Vegas; Angelo Pizarro, guitar virtuoso and composer; and 12-year-old emerging vocalist Gaby Borromeo.

“Audiences will walk away entertained and inspired,” Zapata said. “This show is not about money, but bringing great talents to the market.”

Zapata expects more than 500 people to attend the concert, packing the 540-seat capacity recital hall.
“Only approximately 100 tickets were left after the tickets went on sale for two hours,” he said.

Organizing the event was no easy task. It took Zapata more than six months to plan.

“Besides promoting our concert in different communities, we also spent time on seeking community sponsorship. Fortunately, we gained great support from the Filipino community and received sponsorship from the radio channel, KWJZ 98.9,” said the D.I.C.E founder.

Partial funding for the event comes from Zapata’s company, Kabayan Cargo Express, which mainly assists Filipino Americans to send care packages back home to the Philippines.

Zapata knows that somehow his efforts will pay off.

“I am sure that we will put up a great show as we have very talented artists in the same place at the right time, and they are all passionate about music. I can’t wait to see them shine on stage,” Zapata said.

As for future goals, the D.I.C.E founder said he would love to offer an annual local Asian American music award, similar to the Grammy Awards, especially considering that Asian American artists are often underrepresented in the mainstream music industry.
He would also like to turn D.I.C.E into an international company, producing shows in the Philippines, Hong Kong and Asia in general.

Zapata hopes that someday D.I.C.E will become reputable enough to foster goodwill between artists of all cultures and successfully develop a foundation for music and all art forms.
“I would love being able to give back and not taking too much from the community.”

Tickets are on sale for $35 through Ticketmaster and at Benaroya Hall’s box office. Contact Tony Zapata at dice_events@yahoo.com for more information.

BY CLAIRE EMIKO FANT
Examiner Contributor

People of Filipino descent comprise the greatest percentage of the Asian population in Washington state. Indeed their history as immigrants and citizens is inextricably entwined with this region’s history. And many are tied to their familial and cultural roots in the Philippines as well as to other Filipino communities located around the world. Pista sa Nayon, the annual Filipino community festival celebrated at Seward Park in conjunction with Seafair, is the biggest of its kind in the United States attracting more than 15,000 people this year.

To highlight the contributions and history of Filipino Americans in the Puget Sound region, the Wing Luke Asian Museum is hosting an exhibit entitled “Voyage of the Barangay: Filipino Currents in King County.” “Barangay” is a derivative from the Malay word “balangay,” which means boat, and in the Philippine dialect Tagalog, it is used to refer to “community.” The boat was integral to Philippine life, and therefore, a symbol of community. This exhibit is about the “barangay” in the Pacific Northwest that created strength and beauty out of hardship.

When confronted with the task of presenting the story of a community that has been his raison d’être, Timoteo Cordova, noted playwright (“Heart of the Son,” “Across Oceans of Dreams,” “Barkada SinDrome,” “Central Soul”), poet, musician and community activist, rolled up his sleeves and dived in, sifting through old photographs that were in the repository of the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS), as well as those of his own family. As the son of Fred Cordova and Dorothy Laigo Cordova, both longtime activists with a family history that stretches back to the early 1900s, Cordova had lots of resources and inspiration from which to create his presentation.

Many of the older photographs were worn and faded with age. Cordova spent countless hours restoring them, adding touches of color in the process. In figuring how to present the photographs, he eschewed the usual pictures-along-the-wall format, and instead decided to create a montage of the photographs that would tell the story of the Filipino community in a livelier way. He decided to incorporate them into a work of art.

So to the visitor’s surprise, the history lesson is not spread out on walls in the Wing Luke, but is a lone poetic piece standing in the center of the display room. Four large canvas panels – two on each side – are hung back-to-back on a an easel constructed of bamboo, which Cordova chose “because of its humble flexibility and strength.” The easel/canvas construction brings to mind the boat in “balangay,” where the panels symbolize sails. Each panel’s photo montage, which was printed using Cordova’s large format printer, focuses on a different aspect of the history of the Filipino American presence in this region, from the first “Pinoy pioneers” to a historical mural-like rendition of major figures of Filipino descent.

Brief informative text gives newcomers a point of departure for continued research into the history of the Filipino American community, and to those who are already familiar with it, a deep sense of pride. Names and images of eminent Filipinos whose integrity, bravery and commitment to not only the “barangay,” but to the community at large, instills such pride — Dolores Sibonga, who was the first member of the Seattle City Council of Filipino ancestry, Bob Santos, who served as regional director of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Alex Tizon and Byron Acohido, who won Pulitzer Prizes in 1996 for their investigative beat reporting on separate stories, to name but a few.

A list of Filipino organizations, such as the Filipino Student Association at the University of Washington, 1926, the Cannery Workers and Farm Laborers Union, Local 18257, give testimony to the significant number of Filipino Americans residing in Seattle from the early 1900s to the present, and to the ongoing need to organize in the face of discrimination.

“The Voyage of the Barangay” is a piece that says, ”We are not invisible! We have a proud history that is an engaging story to tell!”

“Voyage of the Barangay: Filipino Currents in King County” is on display at the Wing Luke Asian Museum (407 7th Ave. S.) through Dec. 10. www.wingluke.org.